Chapter 19: The Hero Daily
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Leo looked at Gwen seriously. "This is just one part of it. There are even more dangerous things in this world.
There's a type of person called a Mutant. They gain superpowers due to genetic mutations."
"And in official organizations, some people will hunt down these Mutants and use them for experiments."
Gwen could imagine that these experiments would definitely not be ordinary experiments, but rather experiments targeting Mutant genes and superpowers. This process would not be gentle either.
"So, Gwen, in the future, you need to be careful — not just of these super villains, but also of the relevant authorities."
Gwen nodded seriously. "I will."
"Leo, if I really get caught, will you come and save me?"
"Of course. I won't let you get hurt."
Gwen was deeply moved. She chatted with Leo in the room, feeling safer than she had in a long time.
Not long after, George returned home.
After being busy for so long, Connors had been taken away. The most crucial thing was that George couldn't stop it — the power behind the other organization was too strong.
It was impossible not to be angry.
However, at least Professor Lizard was dealt with, which was a positive outcome.
"Oh, it seems I have to go back first," Leo said.
"Good night," Gwen said softly.
Leo returned to his home and rested early.
Meanwhile, Peter was still making his web-shooters.
Peter had always felt that he should bear more responsibility for the Professor Lizard Connors incident. His appearance allowed Professor Connors to complete the semi-finished serum. It was this semi-finished serum that turned Professor Connors into Professor Lizard.
"I should have stopped Professor Connors."
"I should also become Spider-Man and use my abilities to help more people."
"And not shrink back because of impending problems and dangers."
"As long as I'm careful enough and do well enough, I can handle these."
Peter's web-shooters were finally successful, and his suit was also initially completed.
However, Peter was not very satisfied with the material of the suit. Soon, Peter found suitable materials.
---
On a new day, Peter arrived at school and met Leo.
Peter had thought about this for several days and finally had an answer.
"Leo, I have my answer. I want to become Spider-Man!"
Leo smiled. "I had already anticipated your choice, Spider-Man!"
"I want to ask you to train me, guide me, and make me a better Spider-Man."
Leo was very pleased to see Peter's confidence.
"Good. I will do that."
"Once you've made your suit, next, we're going to deal with a super villain hiding in the shadows."
Peter still felt a faint excitement. "Shouldn't I train first if I'm going to deal with villains now?"
"Villains won't wait for you to be ready. And for every day you delay, more people will suffer."
"Then why don't you just deal with him directly?"
"Because he's not a villain who can be easily dealt with by force. At the same time, this is a test for you and Gwen."
Peter was very confident. "I will do my best to handle this matter."
Leo's chosen opponent for Peter and Gwen was, naturally, Kingpin.
If it were just a fight, Gwen and Peter could easily defeat him. But the key issue lay in the subsequent handling.
After Kingpin was arrested and taken in, with his capabilities, he could still roam free. Unless Kingpin was directly and definitively proven guilty with evidence, and then his external connections were severed. Only then could Kingpin and the darkness behind him be uprooted.
---
After school in the afternoon, Leo drove Gwen and Peter away from the school.
Their destination was clear: Matt Murdock's law firm, where Daredevil worked.
Leo had already contacted Foggy in advance, using a business discussion as an excuse to arrange a meeting with Foggy and Matt.
Inside the Nelson & Murdock law firm, Foggy and Matt drank coffee, waiting for Leo and the others to arrive.
Foggy was incredibly excited to finally get a big case. If successful, they could not only earn a large lawyer's fee but also spread the reputation of their law firm.
"Matt, today's a big client. We absolutely must take this case."
Matt, staring ahead with his blind eyes, said, "No problem."
Although it was already after work hours, they were both the bosses and employees of the firm. At this moment, encountering a big case, it was normal for them to work overtime for themselves.
As the two waited patiently, they awaited the arrival of Leo, their big client.
Finally, Leo appeared with Gwen and Peter.
Foggy had not expected that Leo and the others would be today's clients. They looked far too young.
---
Leo quickly scanned Matt with his system interface.
Name: Matthew Murdock
Race: Human
Strength: 234 kg
Speed/Agility: 7.5 m/s
Abilities:
- Radar Sense: 360-degree "vision" via radio wave projection and atmospheric disturbance
- Echolocation: High precision sonar mapping through sounds like heartbeat or raindrops
- Human Lie Detector: Monitor heartbeats, body temperature, and scent to detect deception with 90% accuracy
- Superhuman Olfaction: Can track a scent trail up to 12 hours through crowded city streets
- Tactile Literacy: Can read standard ink print on a page by feeling the faint indentation of the ink
Skills:
- Master of Martial Arts (High): Boxing, Judo, Ninjutsu
- Pressure Point Mastery (High): Ability to paralyze or kill with precision strikes to the central nervous system
- Billy Club Mastery (High): Expert in using his signature weapons like nunchaku, baton, grappling hook
- Professional Law: Expert in criminal defense and cross-examination
- Stealth (Mid): Can move undetected by non-sensory individuals
Weakness:
- Blind: Immune to illusions and light-based attacks but can't see color or photos
- Sensory Overload: High-pitched frequency or overwhelming odors act as stun
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System, copy Radar Sense, Echolocation, Human Lie Detector, Superhuman Olfaction, Tactile Literacy, Master of Martial Arts, Pressure Point Mastery, Billy Club Mastery, Professional Law, and Stealth.
[Copying... Successful.]
Integrating...
Leo felt a further expansion in his senses. The world around him became more detailed. He could hear the faint hum of electricity in the walls, the steady rhythm of heartbeats from Gwen and Peter beside him, and even the subtle shift in air pressure as Foggy moved across the room.
His understanding of martial arts deepened, incorporating new techniques and precision strikes. Legal knowledge flooded his mind — courtroom strategies, defense tactics, cross-examination techniques.
It was overwhelming for a moment, but Leo controlled it, letting the new abilities settle naturally into his consciousness.
---
"Hello, you must be Lawyer Foggy and Lawyer Matt, right?" Leo said smoothly.
Foggy was a little surprised. "Yes, that's us. Are you planning to hire us?"
Leo smiled. "That's right. I contacted you. The fee isn't an issue. The important thing is that this case might be a bit difficult."
Foggy immediately guaranteed, "Although our law firm has just been established, we are all professionals. No matter what the problem, we can help you solve it."
Matt was blind, but his hearing was even more acute. At close range, he could hear breathing and pulse with perfect clarity.
At this moment, he could hear the breathing and heartbeats of Leo and the two others, sensing that the three of them were not ordinary.
But what struck him most was Leo. There was something... unusual about him. His heartbeat was steady, controlled. His breathing was rhythmic and calm.
"We naturally trust you, which is why we chose your law firm," Leo said.
Foggy was very happy. "May I ask what you wish to hire us for?"
Leo took out a photo. The person in the photo was Kingpin.
"We want to sue this person."
Foggy looked at the photo and said the person's name. "Wilson Fisk."
Matt was stunned when he heard the name.
At night, Matt transformed into Daredevil, upholding justice and fighting criminals. Recently, he had obtained some clues.
In the darkness of this city, there was an underground emperor, and this person was Kingpin. And Kingpin's real name was Wilson Fisk.
Matt felt a little worried. Someone had come to him just as he had found out about Kingpin.
Could my identity have been exposed?
If they are truly Kingpin's people, Foggy might be in danger.
Matt was full of suspicion toward Leo and the others, concerned about their true intentions.
But Foggy didn't know any of this. He was just a little curious.
"He's a well-known businessman and philanthropist around here. Is there a problem?"
Leo lowered his voice. "In fact, he is the king of this city's underground forces. Many of the city's crimes, at their root, come from this person."
"It's just a pity that currently, we haven't obtained specific evidence."
"So, we want to ask for your help."
Foggy hesitated, about to accept the task.
But Matt stopped Foggy. "Who are you?"
Leo knew Matt's suspicion.
With a thought, suit covered him.
Seeing this, Gwen also chose to reveal her identity.
Only Peter, watching the two transform, felt a bit awkward. He hadn't brought his suit, and even if he had, he couldn't just change into it in front of them.
"Hey, Leo, you didn't say we were going to transform, did you?"
Leo explained, "Not fighting, but revealing our identities."
Foggy was shocked. Leo and Gwen, in front of him, were the superheroes who had dealt with Professor Lizard.
Now, they were actually appearing before him.
Leo continued, "Lawyer Matt, also known as Daredevil, and Lawyer Foggy — we need your help."
Gwen was stunned. "Leo, is Lawyer Matt Daredevil?"
Foggy also couldn't believe that his best friend, Matt, was actually Daredevil.
You know, they were studying law. Yet Matt actually transformed into Daredevil to fight criminals.
"Matt, you're Daredevil? I didn't know at all. We are lawyers. I think we should uphold justice through law."
Matt explained, "By the time justice arrives, those victims might already be dead. I didn't judge them. I just caught them."
Foggy finally breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that his good friend would make a mistake and become an outlaw.
Matt looked at Leo. "How did you know my identity?"
"It's just my superpower. As Tony Stark said, this world is in peril and needs many superheroes."
"Heroes like you are also indispensable."
"So, we've come to seek your help."
"I hope you will help us gather evidence together to bring Kingpin to justice."
Matt pressed, "Do you know how complicated this is? During this time, more people will be harmed because of him."
Leo smiled and said, "I know."
"So, we came."
"We can help you, and help as many people as possible."
Matt was already a bit extreme at this point. "I think the best way is to send him to hell."
Foggy quickly stopped him. "What? Matt, the Matt I know isn't this kind of person."
"We can try him through formal procedures. We are not God. We don't have the power to judge him."
Leo continued, "If we want to eliminate Kingpin, it's very simple. I can rush over now and send him to hell with one punch."
"But I don't want to do that. Because at this moment, we still have a choice."
"I hope you use your professional abilities to put him away."
"We will also help you gather evidence."
Foggy looked at the photo, incredibly determined.
"I'll take it."
"He almost turned my good friend into an outlaw."
"He must be a terrible criminal."
"I will use my methods to catch him."
"I won't let my best friend become a criminal in the future."
Foggy was incredibly firm.
Matt immediately called out, "Foggy..."
Matt also knew that Foggy was angry — not because he had hidden his identity as Daredevil, but because he was preparing to break the law and become an outlaw.
Matt finally made a decision. "I agree."
"You're right. We still have a choice now. We don't have to resort to such extreme measures."
After joining forces with Daredevil, dealing with Kingpin became much easier.
However, in the coming days, Peter and Gwen would get busy. After all, Daredevil mostly operates at night, so they would probably have to operate at night too.
---
The three joined forces to combat criminals, making Kingpin miserable.
One Daredevil was already enough for him to handle, but then Spider-Man and Ghost-Spider appeared.
Kingpin was incredibly furious, wanting to eliminate the three of them. He was just frustrated by the lack of information about them, not knowing how to retaliate.
If Daredevil was a highly skilled ordinary person, then Spider-Man was even more outrageous. Ghost-Spider Gwen was not even afraid of bullets.
For this, Kingpin was very troubled.
Leo, however, was very happy. Gwen and Peter were making rapid progress and were slowly becoming capable of standing on their own.
And the collection of evidence against Kingpin was also slowly progressing.
---
While all this was going smoothly, Leo received good news: the newspaper office had been established.
That's right — Leo had opened a newspaper office.
In the world of comics, many superheroes are connected to newspaper offices.
Superman and Lois work at the Daily Planet. Peter, Betty, and Eddie Brock work at the Daily Bugle. Iris West founded the Central City Citizen. Karen Page worked closely with Matt and Foggy as a reporter.
So Leo also planned to open a newspaper office.
Last time, after Betty's mother Bella fully recovered, she invited Leo to be a guest.
When Leo visited, he told Bella about this idea.
Bella was originally a reporter but lost her job due to illness. Now that she was well, she naturally needed to find a new job.
Leo told Bella about his idea of opening a newspaper office, invited Bella to join, and asked Bella to be responsible for managing it.
Bella was very grateful for Leo's life-saving grace, and coupled with Leo's relationship with Betty, Bella immediately agreed.
Now Leo had given her a job, and Bella naturally cherished it immensely.
After much effort, the newspaper office was finally established. The license and office space were all rented.
Next, they just needed to recruit a few more reporters to officially start working.
Bella specifically told Leo this good news and invited him to dinner at her home.
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Leo arrived as scheduled, and Betty enthusiastically welcomed him.
"Bella, you look much better."
After Bella recovered, she not only improved her health but even look youthful.
Bella gave Leo a brief hug. "Thank you, Leo. I don't know how to thank you enough."
"You're welcome."
Bella quickly prepared the food, and the three of them gathered around the table to eat.
"Now the newspaper office is all set. All that's left is to recruit employees. As soon as we hire reporters, we can officially start working."
"I'll leave the interviewing and recruiting of employees to you. I'm not very familiar with this aspect."
"I trust you very much, Bella."
Betty also said, "I'm about to graduate, and I can also join the newspaper office and become a reporter."
Bella was a little unhappy to hear Betty's idea.
"Betty, I think you should continue to college, not start working right after high school."
Betty immediately became a little unhappy. "Studying is not my strong suit, nor is it a career I like. I want to be a reporter like you."
Bella hesitated for a moment, but finally chose to agree.
"Alright, but you have to pass the interview. If you can't, you'll have to intern first."
Betty was very happy to get Bella's permission. "That's great, Mom."
Leo also encouraged her. "I believe in Betty. She will definitely become an excellent reporter."
Betty directly hugged Leo's arm. "Leo, you are really too good."
"I was just telling the truth."
Bella continued, "My initial plan is to recruit 4-5 more reporters, and then an assistant. What do you think?"
"Just listen to you. If you want to continue expanding, it's not impossible. Anyway, I have money."
Leo was not wrong about this.
Ever since Obadiah's downfall, Tony managed to buy back the shares. Now, Tony was the undisputed largest shareholder, and Leo was the second largest shareholder.
It could be said that Leo was now making money effortlessly, waiting for Stark Industries' dividends.
This feeling was certainly great. He wasn't a famous rich man, but he could still afford to spend generously.
"Now is not suitable for further expansion. It will be easier to expand once the newspaper office gains a little reputation."
"That's good too."
"Leo, which area of business should our newspaper office focus on next?"
As a newly established newspaper office with a small scale, it could only choose one direction for development.
"Our newspaper office is called Hero Daily, so the focus is naturally on superheroes and criminals."
"I know this might be dangerous, and I will find a way to strengthen security."
Bella also knew that offending some criminals would definitely lead to retaliation.
However, Bella was not afraid. As a reporter, courage was truly essential.
And Leo already had an idea for the newspaper office's first big news: Kingpin.
At that time, by jointly eliminating Kingpin, the newspaper office could take advantage of reporting this news to gain a lot of popularity.
The problem was that if Kingpin was reported, his subordinates would definitely start retaliating. Even Kingpin's connections would not stand idly by.
For security matters, Leo planned to ask his old friend Tony for help. He would find some excellent talents to work as security guards, and at the same time equip them with some high-tech products developed by Tony for protection.
After dinner, Leo and Bella also discussed some other matters about the newspaper office.
Overall, Leo was very satisfied with Bella's abilities.
Finally, after finishing work, Betty had free time and was alone with Leo.
She led Leo to her room and immediately hugged him warmly.
"Leo, I want you to guide me in practicing singing."
Looking at Betty's affectionate gaze, how could Leo not understand?
"How is the soundproofing in this room?"
"Don't worry about it. I'll be careful."
Leo smiled and began to teach Betty to sing.
From low notes to high notes, the room's soundproofing ultimately failed to prevent Betty's singing from escaping.
After Bella finished tidying up, she prepared to return to her room to work.
Passing Betty's room, she heard Betty's singing.
In Bella's opinion, all of this was very normal.
Leo looked young and handsome, and also had considerable wealth. Moreover, he was not like Tony Stark, who would change girlfriends constantly.
Bella was very satisfied with Leo and also believed that Leo and Betty could have a happy future together.
Bella did not disturb the two and returned to her room to continue working.
After working for about two hours, Bella finally finished her work.
When she was about to go to the kitchen to get water to drink, she heard Betty still singing, and her expression couldn't help but become a little strange.
She came to the kitchen, took out ice water from the refrigerator, and drank a few sips.
It was clearly ice water, but she felt a bit of heat in her heart.
"It's been over two hours. Can Betty handle it?"
Bella shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and returned to her room.
Meanwhile, inside Betty's room, the "singing lessons" continued well into the night.
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